USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. > Part 47
USA > Vermont > Franklin County > History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. > Part 47
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The Baptist Church .- The Freewill Baptist church was organized in West Franklin, February 12, 1832, by Rev. Leland Huntly, and con- sisted of twelve members. The church had no regular preaching pre- vious to April 5, 1845, but was supplied by itinerant clergymen. At this date Rev. J. Coffrin was installed pastor. In 1861 there were forty-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
two members. The society erected a church in 1859. The society still retains its church organization, but for the past two years there has been no regular preaching, there being simply quarterly meetings three times during the year.
The Catholic Church .- For quite a number of years there has been a church of this kind in town. There is a church edifice and quite a large congregation. There has never been any resident priest, the pulpit be- ing supplied from other towns. At present a priest from Highgate officiates.
Town Representatives. - Samuel Peckham, 1794, 1796-97, 1801, 1804; Samuel Hubbard, 1795, 1798-1800, 1802, 1805, 1807-08, 1812- 17, 1819-20; Salmon Warner, 1806; Samuel Peckham, jr., 1809-10; Hezekiah Weed, 1811 ; William Felton, 1818, 1824-26, 1829, 1831, 1834; Joshua Peckham, 1824; Reuben Towle, 1822-23; Geri Cushman, 1827-28; Philip S. Gates, 1830, 1832-33, 1843 ; Elisha Bascomb, 1835- 36; Henry Bowman, 1837-38; Jonathan H. Hubbard, 1839-41, 1846; Dolphus Dewing, 1842; Isaac Warner, 1844; Peter Chase, 1845; 1847- 49, not represented ; Lathrop Marsh, 1850-51; John P. Olds, 1852 ; Solon Kinsman, 1853-54; Charles Felton, 1855; Vincent Horskin, 1856-57 ; Alonzo Green, 1858; John K. Whitney, 1859-60; Philo Horskin, 1861-62; John Colcord, 1863-64; W. C. Robie, 1865-66 ; Ai Pearson, 1867. (Commencement of biennial sessions.) J. D. Brown, 1868-69; Harvey Olmstead, 1870-71; George C. Briggs, 1872-73 ; John Webster, 1874-77; Carmi L. Marsh, 1878-79; Bartholomew Whit- ney, 1880-81; Chauncy Temple, 1882-83; Reuben Towle, 1884-85 ; A. H. Shedd, 1886-87; L. H. Felton, 1888-89; Edwin Prouty, 1890-91.
Town Clerks .- Ebenezer Sanderson, 1794; 1794 to 1802, no record ; Samuel Peckham, 1802-04; Samuel Peckham, jr., 1804-12; Samuel Hubbard, 1812-27 ; Philip S. Gates, 1827-45 ; John Adams, 1845-51; Alonzo Green, 1851-53; Vincent Horskin, 1853-59; Alonzo Green, 1859-81 ; W. C. Robie, 1881, present incumbent.
. County Officers .- Ebenezer Marvin, chief justice, 1796-1802, 1808 ; Jonathan H. Hubbard, assistant chief justice, 1845-47 ; Ebenezer Mar- vin, jr., state's attorney, 1807-08, 1812, 1815; Ebenezer Marvin, state's attorney, 1813; assistant judges : John K. Whitney, 1868-69 ; John P. Olds, 1872-73 ; E. H. Cleaveland, 1880-81.
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TOWN OF FRANKLIN.
State Senators .- Jonathan H. Hubbard, 1843-44, 1848; Alonzo Green, 1859-60 ; W. C. Robie, 1874-75 ; Edwin R. Bell, 1888-89.
Members of Constitutional Convention .- Samuel Hubbard, 1814; William Felton, 1822 and 1828; Orville Kempton, 1836; John J. Deavitt, 1843; Charles Felton, 1850.
Justices of the Peace, with Terms of Office .- J. H. Hubbard, twenty- five years ; P. S. Gates, twenty-three years ; Nahum Temple, twenty- two years; Peter Chase, nineteen years; John K. Whitney, fifteen years ; Dolphus Dewing, twelve years; James Spaulding, E. H. Cleave- land, James Randall, A. L. Galusha, Jonathan Towle, A. H. Shedd, Philo Horskin for quite lengthy terms.
Attorneys .- The attorneys who have practiced in town are Ebenezer Marvin, jr., J. J. Beardsley, - - Basford, John J. Deavitt, J. E. Ten- ney, Romeo H. Start, and George W. Burleson. None reside in town at the present time.
Physicians .- Drs. Ebenezer Marvin, Enoch Pomery, Geri Cushman, George S. Gale, Enos Pearson, Sheldon S. Searles, C. N. Burleson, E. J. Powers, George S. Briggs, M. H. Powers, R. E. Welch, and J. B. Hall.
Census .- 1791, 46 ; 1800, 280; 1810, 714; 1820, 631 ; 1830, 1, 129; 1840, 1,410; 1850, 1,647; 1860, 1,781; 1870, 1,612; 1880, 1,439; 1890, 1,300.
Grand List .- Owing to imperfections of the records the grand list of an early date cannot be obtained. The following is supplied : 1850, $2,785.73; 1860, $4,096.31 ; 1870, $4,552.81 ; 1880, $4,168.26; 1890, $7,098.17.
Military History .- As will be seen in reading this chapter several of the early settlers of the town served at some period during the Revolu- tionary war. Among these were Col. Ebenezer Marvin, Major Leon- ard Keep, Captain Lemuel Roberts, James Stevenson, William Sisco, and Reuben Towle. The following men enlisted in the War of 1812 : John Webster, Jabez Keep, Erasmus Osborne, William Felton, William Wright, Benjamin Sisco, Horace Gates, and Henry Bowman.
The town of Franklin furnished 130 men for the war of the great Re- bellion, six of whom were commissioned officers, viz .: Romeo H. Start, captain of Company E, 3d Regiment; Orloff H. Whitney, captain Com- pany H, 13th Regiment ; George W. Burleson, captain Company C, 6th
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
Regiment ; Rodney C. Gates, first lieutenant Company F, 7th Regi- ment ; Edward L. Hibbard, first lieutenant Company D, 13th Regi- ment; Carmi L. Marsh, second lieutenant Company K, 13th Regiment. Out of these 130, twenty-six lost their lives in the service of their country. In memory of these soldiers dead and living the town has caused to be placed in the town hall five large marbleized slate tablets, of beautiful design, with the names of the men, their rank, and the company and reg- iment to which they belonged inscribed in letters of gold.
Every year Decoration day is observed either at the Center village or East Franklin. There is a flourishing post of the G. A. R. Marsh Post, No. 80, was named in honor of the late Lathrop Marsh, who ren- dered excellent service as a town official during the war.
At the time of the Confederate raid as it was called, near the close of the war, when a company of marauders in passing through the county toward Canada robbed one of the banks in St. Albans, fired at persons, and created considerable disturbance on their route, a company of " Home Guards" was organized in this town for protection, with Carmi L. Marsh as captain. After guarding the line between the town and Canada for a time, and frequent drillings, there being no further hos- tile demonstration, che company was disbanded.
During and immediately preceding the War of 1812 a pretty exten- sive business in the line of smuggling was carried on by some advent- urous citizens of this and adjoining towns. Many droves of cattle were ' taken across the "lines," on which a good price was realized, and nu- merous loads of merchandise found their way "this side," notwithstand- ing soldiers were stationed along the border to prevent the illegal traffic. This being the case there were, as may be supposed, many exciting ad- ventures between the United States officials and the contraband dealers, some of which may still be remembered, as related by those acquainted with the circumstances. The " smuggler's road," as it was termed, ex- tended from some point on the Missisquoi River in Sheldon through this town, on the east side of the pond, to the line adjoining St. Armand, P. Q. As this entire region at that time was a wilderness it aided the smugglers somewhat, but now and then they got caught, while at other times they would fool the officers by playing a double game and get off safely.
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TOWN OF FAIRFIELD.
CHAPTER XXV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FAIRFIELD.
T HE town of Fairfield is centrally located in Franklin county, lying in latitude 44 degrees 49 minutes, and longitude 4 degrees 5 min- utes east, and contains nearly sixty square miles, or 38,000 acres. The towns lying adjacent are Sheldon upon the north; a corner of Enos- burgh and Bakersfield upon the east; on the south are Fletcher and Fairfax ; and St. Albans and Swanton on the west.
The surface is very uneven, being broken by short ranges and spurs of hills and alternating valleys. The rocks are mainly talcose schist in the eastern part of the town, dipping easterly at an angle of about sev- enty-five degrees, while in the western part they are conglomerate.
Here nature seems to have vied with herself in the lavishness of her charms. While the scenery is short of the sublime, and seldom grand, it is always beautiful and picturesque. It is well watered by numerous springs, and also by several streams, notably among which is Black Creek, which receives much of its tributary waters from Fletcher and Bakersfield, enters the town not far from the southeast corner, and flows northwesterly into Sheldon, where it falls into the Missisquoi River.
Fairfield River, having its source in Fletcher, sometimes rises to the majesty of a rushing river, and again retiring within its banks becomes a rippling streamlet. Flowing northerly it unites with Black Creek near the central part of the town. Dead Creek receives the sluggish water of Cedar Swamp in the west part of this town and the eastern point of St. Albans, flows northerly, uniting with the outlet of Fairfield pond, and takes an easterly course into Black Creek near St. Rocks. Among the beauties of this favored region is this miniature lake or pond already mentioned ; the water is pure and clear, being mainly supplied by subterranean springs. This pond is three miles long and nearly a mile in width.
No minerals of importance are known to exist. The soil in the val- leys is alluvial, and is especially adapted to the growth of grass and the
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
principal cereals of the North, while the uplands yield rich and abun- dant pasturage. The timber is principally maple, beech, and birch; hemlock, spruce, butternut, and other varieties abound, while cedar is the principal growth of the swamp. So far as known this town and vicinity was not probably the home of any of the Indian tribes, but it is tolerably well established that this was for a long time one of their favorite hunting-grounds, and that deer, bears, wolves, and beavers were their worthy game.
August 18, 1763, Governor Benning Wentworth, of New Hampshire, made grants of three towns, Fairfield, Smithfield, and Hungerford, northeast of Lake Champlain, to Samuel Hungerford, of New Fairfield, Conn., and his associates.
The grantees held their first meeting at the house of Gershom Brad- ley, Fairfield, Conn., February 16, 1774. At an adjourned meeting held on the following day at the house of John Hubbell : " Voted, to pro- ceed to survey and lay out the township." At a proprietors' meeting in April following: "Voted, that the committee for said township shall have power to agree with some suitable person to go and see said town - ship, in order to see what sort of land it is." There seems to have been little business of importance transacted at subsequent meetings until the proprietors held their first meeting in Vermont, at Pawlet, in September, 1783, when it was voted to lay out one division of land containing 160 acres, and a second division of 100 acres to each proprietor. In April, 1789, the proprietors, then meeting in Fairfield, made arrangements for laying out roads. In September, of the same year, there was a third division of 50 acres, a fourth division of 140 acres, and a fifth division of four-acre lots in the cedar swamp made to each proprietor. The swamp lots were valuable for the cedar and other fencing tember, great quantities of which have been used for that purpose. There was also a "town plot" set off on a hill in the southwest part of the town, in - tended for city lots. The proprietors and all of the first settlers of the town have passed from earth, a century has elapsed, and the intended city is not yet.
The first permanent settler of whom there is any record was Joseph Wheeler, who came to Fairfield in March, 1787. Soon after, or during the following year, John Sunderland and John Mitchell were succeded
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TOWN OF FAIRFIELD.
by James Hawley, William Beaden, and Gabriel Sherwood as settlers from Huntington, Conn .; Nathan and David Hoyt (Hoit) and Ebenezer Lobdell came from Bridgefield, John Leach and Samuel Roberts from New Fairfield, Conn .; Edmund Town and Joel Barber from Simsbury, Levi Wakeman from Norwalk, and Lucius Hall from New Milford. In 1789 New Fairfield, Conn., gave to the new settlement Hubbard Bar- low, Andrew Bradley, and Clark Burlingame. Jabez Burr came from Reading, Conn. In 1790 Dimon Barlow, Samuel Gilbert, Samuel Hollister, and Jehiel Smith found a residence here. Joseph Soule, from Dover, N. Y., came early in 1791. He had a large family. His sons were Timothy, Isaac Newton, Salmon, Joseph, Hiram, and Harry, who also became residents of Fairfield and Fairfax.
The town was organized and town officers elected pursuant to the following notice :
"WHEREAS, Application hath been made to me the subscriber, by six good lawful Freholders, of the town of Fairfield, for the purpose of electing town officers.
"These are therefore to warn all the inhabitants of Fairfield, afore- said, to meet at the dwelling house of Mr. Joseph Wheeler, in sd Fair- field, on the 30th day of Instant March, to act on the following busi- ness, viz. :
" Ist. To choose a moderator to govern sd meeting.
" 2d. To choose a Town Clerk.
" 3d. To choose a Selectman.
" 4th. To choose all other town officers as the law directs.
" 5th. To transact any other business that may be deemed necessary when met.
" Dated at Fairfield, March 13th, 1791.
" HUB'D BARLOW, Just. Peace."
At the town meeting held March 30, 1791, town officers were chosen as follows: Joseph Wheeler, moderator ; Edmund Town, town clerk ; Edmund Town, Thomas Northrop, and Ralph Gregory, selectmen ; Levi Wakeman, "first" constable; Joseph Wheeler, town treasurer ; Salmon Wheeler, Abraham Northrop, and David Hoit, listers; Nathan Lobdell, collector; Joseph Soule, leather sealer; Nathaniel Beardsley, grand juror; Ebenezer Lobdell, pound-keeper; Philo Gregory, "tythes-
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
man "; Isaac Hull, hayward; David Hoit, fence viewer; Ezekiel Beardsley, Wetmore Beardsley, and Barzillai Brown, surveyors of high- ways ; Ralph Gregory, sealer of weights and measures.
The records show that these were duly sworn " as the law directs" and the harmony which pervaded this first town meeting found expres- sion in the following enactment: "Voted, that swine being properly yoked and ringed may run at large."
The organization of the town, and the fact that the proprietors, as well as others, had already ascertained "what sort of land it is," were sufficient inducements to attract other settlers. In 1792 Isaac Luce, Reuben Crow, and Francis Story became residents. Other early set- tlers, some of whom may have come previous to 1792, were Bates Tur- ner, Joseph D. Farnsworth, Whittemore Beardsley, John Chandler, Sol- omon Bingham, Benjamin Wooster, John Sturtevant, Dyer Sherwood, Morse Warner, Ezra Sherman, Sherwood Whitney, Nathan Lobdell, Ezekiel Bradley, Eli Sherman, Amos Thompson, Abraham Northrop, Bradley Davis, Samuel Barlow, Joab Smith, Ebenezer Barlow, Job Hurlburt, Samuel Payne, Isaac Wakeman, Noah Dimon, Ezra Sturges, Solomon Nelson, Abner Wright, Ezra Gilbert, Samuel Gilbert, Whitte- more Beardsley, Nathan Gilbert, Nathaniel Beardsley, William Morse, Benjamin Kendrick, - - Story, Andrew Kendrick, Martin Prince, Westover Barber, Orange Hall, Norman Barber, Benjamin Fairbanks, John Abotts, Joseph Bowditch, and Jehiel Hull.
Fairfield as originally chartered contained 23,040 acres ; but in 1792 the greater part of Smithfield was, by act of the legislature, annexed, thus giving the town its present dimensions, and making it the largest town in Franklin county. The town as thus constituted is regular in outline except that the west side is notched by the eastern extremities of St. Albans and Swanton, and the southwest corner extends in point to a corner of the town of Georgia.
The hardships and privations endured by the pioneer settlers of Fair- field stand in marked contrast with the comfort and conveniences of the present day. Searching out a wilderness home by traveling miles along a half-distinguishable trail, failing to reach the hut of some pio- neer, and remaining over night where darkness and a clustering thicket gave the only shelter; again taking up the journey and finding all the
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TOWN OF FAIRFIELD.
discouragements of the preceding day repeated, and finally locating in a hastily constructed hut which gave little of comfort and less of con- venience; then disputing the possession of their rude dwellings and mea- gre fare with bears or other wild animals-all these were endured by the early settlers, and are but the background of a nearer view, where there are fine farms, and beautiful residences wherein are all the comforts and luxuries of life which convenience may demand or wealth may procure.
One or two instances of the scarcity of provisions will suffice to show what not a few endured. One of the Hoit families being destitute of food Mr. Hoit, hearing that a man who resided some thirty miles distant had wheat to sell, started on foot to obtain a supply ; reaching his desti- nation the owner of the wheat told him he had none to sell, but in con- sideration of such destitution would give him as much as he could carry. Venturing the burden of a bushel, and having it ground soon after starting, Mr. Hoit soon came to the relief of the hungering family.
Andrew Bradley settled in 1789, and planted corn for bread for his family during the coming winter, but it was damaged by frost and ren- dered almost worthless. Pinching want drove him to the necessity of leaving his wife and several small children while he sought some occu- pation by which he might procure something for their subsistence. During his continued absence the only food which his family could pro- cure was this frost-bitten corn which they cut from the cob.
About this time Jabez Burr came to Fairfield, bringing his family to the house of one of the Hoits, where they remained one night. The next morning the two men started to find the lot upon which Burr was to locate. This was three or four miles from Hoit's. The lot was found with but little difficulty, and the two sturdy fellows immediately went to work to build a house; when night came the building was ready for occupancy ; the men returned to Hoit's, and Burr and his family took possession the next morning. This dwelling contained par- lors, dining-room, kitchen, dormitory, pantry, and scullery all in one It was a wooden structure, of course, for Fairfield was then in the wooden age. The house was twelve feet square, built of split basswood logs, notched at the ends to insure stability and tightness of the walls, and about seven feet to the roof, which was constructed by using poles for the support of the outer roofing made of bark peeled from the logs
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
which constituted the sides. The doorway was closed, when necessary, by hanging a blanket over it. The " windows " were small holes cov- ered with greased paper as soon as it could be afforded. This is not fancy ; there were many similar houses.
The first child born in Fairfield was Polly Hoit (born July 14, 1788), daughter of David and E. Hoit. Smithfield Beaden was born Au- gust I, 1789, in the part of the town then called Smithfield, and being the first male child born in town the proprietors granted him 100 acres of land.
That the early settlers could not undertake the support of non- resi- dent poor appears from the following, which is found in the records of the town meeting held March 10, 1795 : " Voted, that the selectmen prosecute William Beaden for bringing and leaving a woman by the name of Hannah Hollister, with four children, at John Sunderlin's, in said Fairfield, and to take speedy measures for their removal out of this town."
Steady and vigorous use of the axe soon produced changes which improved the condition of the inhabitants. Forests gave place to culti- vated fields, saw-mills were built along the streams, better houses ap- peared, grist-mills received the custom which had before gone by ox-sled and boat to Plattsburgh, and the manufacture of potash, sugar, starch, and leather were among the new and growing industries. New roads, in addition to those already laid out by the proprietors, early received the attention of the citizens, and the division of the town into school districts in 1795 prepared the way for the establishment of common schools.
Although the majority of the early settlers were farmers not a few were engaged in other pursuits. Salmon Soule was a blacksmith, and was especially expert in forging and tempering axes. Joseph Soule was a carpenter, and a manufacturer of starch and potash, and a distiller of liquors. Nathan Gilbert came to Fairfield in 1798, built a grist-mill on Fairfield River, where he did a successful business until September, 1804, when he was drowned while endeavoring to save some of his property from destruction by a freshet which carried away his mill-dam. Rens- selaer Read, who came from Cambridge, Vt., in 1808, built the first tan - nery in town, and carried on the business successfully about twenty
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TOWN OF FAIRFIELD.
years, and was then succeeded by his son, Charles R. About 1818 Jesse Bush engaged in cloth-dressing and the manufacture of lumber, and subsequently in coopering.
There seems to have been but little business transacted at the pro- prietors' meetings subsequent to 1800, and the proprietorship was prob- ably ended a few years later. When any of the proprietors' rights were sold for taxes a whole right usually sold for £13, IOs., and ninety acres for £1, 8s., 6d.
Owners of animals made a public record of the ear-marks by which ownership was established. The following are taken from the town records, the names being omitted : "Round hole through both ears"; " ketch upper side right ear and round hole through left "; "two half- pennys upper side left ear"; "slit end of both ears "; "two ketches under side right ear"; "swallow fork right ear and two nicks under side the same "; "two ketches upper side left ear "; " a crop and half-crop on the right ear "; "sloping crop under side each ear."
Schools .- At a town meeting held March 10, 1795, Wetmore Beards- ley, Joseph Wheeler, Josiah Briggs, Bates Turner, Joseph Soule, Hub- bard Barlow, and Joel Barber were chosen a committee to divide the town into school districts. At an adjourned meeting held in May fol- lowing the committee reported the division of the town into ten districts, and the trustees of the respective districts were elected : District No. I, Samuel P. Hull ; No. 2, Jonah Briggs; No. 3, Jabez Burr; No. 4, Hub- bard Barlow ; No. 5, Andrew Bradley ; No. 6, Edmund Town ; No. 7, Joseph Soule; No. 8, Ralph Gregory ; No. 9, Nathan Kingsley ; and No. 10, John Mitchell. The first district school taught in town was by Joshua Miller in 1797.
Alterations were made in the boundaries of the districts from time to time, and five new districts formed prior to 1814. In 1828 there were reported 785 pupils in the several districts. The reports of 1830 gave the number of pupils as 855, and in 1842 the number had increased to 900. There are (1890) twenty districts having a school-house in each, and parts of four other districts having the houses in other towns. The change from town to county supervision, although not entirely satisfac- tory, seems to have been productive of good.
Among those who have been successful in passing the more rigid ex-
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. HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
amination than was formerly required, and are doing efficient service as teachers in this town, may be mentioned F. E. Sornborger, Frank Mc- Intyre, Misses C. Maude Gilbert, Jennie Carpenter, Frankie Leach, Min- nie La Deux, A. Farrand Elkins, Gertrude Sturges, Hannah Cochrane, Mary Rooney, and Nellie Farley.
The Congregational Church of Fairfield Center was organized Sep- tember 22, 1800, by Rev. Nathaniel Turner, a missionary from Massa- chusetts. Rev. Benjamin Wooster was installed pastor July 24, 1805, and faithfully labored with his chosen people until his death, February 18, 1840. When he commenced his labors with the church there were thirty-four members; seventy more were added between that time and 1813, and fifty- five others became members prior to 1840. Rev. T. Reynolds succeeded' Mr. Wooster and preached until March, 1842. Rev. A. J. Samson came soon after and was installed pastor Febru- ary 15, 1843, remaining until 1849, when Rev. Calvin C. Adams com - menced his pastorate, which ended September, 1856. Rev. James Buck- ham was hired from year to year until June, 1863; the church was then without stated preaching for nearly a year, when C. J. Cornings was em- ployed until April, 1867. He was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Wilde, who remained until his death. Rev. Daniel Wilde was succeeded by Rev. Mr. O'Neil, who preached for a time, after which Revs. C. P. Wat- son, Josiah Kidder, C. H. Coolidge, O. G. Baker, and R. D. Metcalf were the officiating clergymen, the last of whom closed his labors in connection with the church in September, 1890, on account of ill health. This society had no meeting-house until 1840, when a neat brick building was erected.
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